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Wot no Sidewinders?


DamienB

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Given the number of Sidewinder variants that have been produced, and the utter inability of most plastic kit manufacturers to manage produce anything other than a stick with 4 lumps at each end, I'm a bit amazed that a good search of the net tonight has failed to yield any significant source of aftermarket AIM-9s... or ACMI pods... or other modern missiles such as the ASRAAM (that actually look any good, OzMods ones look just like kit ones with big thick fins).

I've got the old Hasegawa weapons set that includes AIM-9s but they're not that good and obviously have big thick fins (plus don't have the model of Sidewinder I want!); I've got the Airfix hi-tech NATO set but don't think it has anything of serious use in it (I admit it's buried in the stash box!).

Am I the only person who'd buy a set of varied Sidewinder models and ACMI pods?

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Flightpath include photoetch and white metal AIM9s in their Jaguar, Tornado (GR1 and F3) and Hawk detail sets, the Hawk set also includes and ACMI pod; Aviation Workshop also produce and ACMI (datalink pod) and one of their updare sets includes a pair of nice ASRAAM missiles.

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Cutting Edge do / did a range in 1/32 and maybe 1/48

Here's what they didin 1/32. AIM-9E/J/N/P, AIM-9 G/H and AIM-9L/M. They might have done the B/D as well. I have the G/H set, specifically to arm a 1/32 Juliet Phantom, because the Sidewinders which Tamiya include are for airforce Phantoms.

SOL Resin did AIM-9Xs in 1/48, and maybe 9Limas/Mikes as well. Can't speak for the old ones, but the X-Rays are very nice, with very thin wings, and even a nose cap.

The SOL range might be hard to get hold of now, (I got mine from Squadron in 2003), but it was very good and included JSOW, the dual AIM-120 launcher for F-18s (and 6 missiles!), AGM-142 and Meteors, amongst others.

HTH, Joel

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In 1/48 Hasegawa Weapons Set D includes both AIM-9L and ACMI pods. In 1/72, Weapons Set V have them, as well as LAU-12x rails for the Eagle and Viper and BOL-rails for the Tomcat, which can be adapted to the Tornado and Harrier. The Airfix 1/72 RAF and NATO Weapons Set have fairly good ASRAAMs, as do the RoG Typhoon single-seater in both 1/48 and 1/72. The RoG Typhoons are almost a modern European weapons set with a Typhoon included!

If you're looking for the AIM-9X, I don't think they can be found anywhere but the Hase F/A-18E/Fs and RoG F-22 in 1/72nd, in 1/48th I haven't a clue. The ones in the 1/72nd Hase SuperBug are quite nice, I haven't seen the ones in the F-22.

:viking:

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I have to agree- Aries did some marvellous Brisish rocket sets in both 1/72 and 1/48 scale.

Lets face it- all you have to do is carefully and accurately turn on a lathe ONE master- then cast and repeat, cast and repeat.

Then add etch- or even cast- fins at 90 degree intervals, and include a small decal sheet- and hey presto- perect missiles

WHy it has not been done yet I have absolutely no idea.

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I have to agree- Aries did some marvellous Brisish rocket sets in both 1/72 and 1/48 scale.

Lets face it- all you have to do is carefully and accurately turn on a lathe ONE master- then cast and repeat, cast and repeat.

Then add etch- or even cast- fins at 90 degree intervals, and include a small decal sheet- and hey presto- perect missiles

WHy it has not been done yet I have absolutely no idea.

WILL LOOK INTO IT

IAN

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I guess I should have specified 1/72... d'oh!

Go for it Ian - personally I'd be very happy to see a 'Cold War RAF/FAA Air to Air Weapons' set including the various Sidewinders the RAF/FAA have used since the 60s (so I guess you could get away with AIM-9B/G/L on their own but be nice to see some 9Ps in there), a few ACMI pods, some Skyflash and AMRAAM for the F-4s and F.3s, etc.

It has always surprised me how little attention kit manufacturers pay to the sort of standard loadouts most modern jets are actually to be seen with - so I'm looking forward to your CBLS too!

Now I'm off into the stash to see what's left of my Airfix NATO weapons kit!

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Here's a little list of AIM-9s in 1/48, and the kits they come with, for those interested in this scale

Hasegawa

Weapons set C-AIM-9B/D/E/G/J/L. I don't think the 9Limas are very accurate, but the others are ok

Weapons set D-ACMI Pods and maybe AIM-9L/Ms (my sets don't have the sidewinders though)

F-4s AIM-9B/D for Navy, AIM-9J for Airforce. The RAF/RN phantoms don't come with any, as 9Gs/9Ls only were used

F-15-AIM-9L/M

F-16 AIM-9L/M

F/A-18E/F-AIM-9X

A-7E-AIM-9G/H, the D version of the Corsair comes with these as well, but they would use B/E/J/L

AV-8/HarrierGR.-AIM-9M. The new mold included with the Harrier has a better shaped nose compared to the early ones.

Revell

F-15E-AIM-9M

F/A-18E-AIM-9X

Typhoon-AIM-9M

Tamiya

F-16CJ-AIM-9M and X

There are many more out there included in kits, Academy, Airfix, Italeri, Fujimi, Hobbycraft which I have, but these are the one's which I know best.

HTH Joel

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.. I'm a bit amazed that a good search of the net tonight has failed to yield any significant source of aftermarket AIM-9s... or ACMI pods... or other modern missiles

Good point - I am similarly vexed. Though to be reasonable, it's probably a very minority interest. A while back, I was after some 1/48 Sea Skua and Nord AS-12 missiles, and advice on a different forum led me to Belcher Bits in Canada. The guy there was extremely helpful and sold me both types, which he produces in resin as part of kits for the Lynx chopper and, er, can't recall what else.

I have the Hasegawa weapons sets A & C, so plenty of AIM-9s etc, but right now I could do with a 1/48 Exocet or two, to replace the Exocet in the Airfix Super Etendard kit which I cocked up...

Malcolm

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I don't know much about weapons but when i want to convert an Italeri IDS to GR4 Tornado, the inside rails where the Hindenberger tanks have Sidewinder's but i think need ASRAAM's from older GR1 to GR4 2000 update ?

could anyone shed light on that ?

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I don't know much about weapons but when i want to convert an Italeri IDS to GR4 Tornado, the inside rails where the Hindenberger tanks have Sidewinder's but i think need ASRAAM's from older GR1 to GR4 2000 update ?

could anyone shed light on that ?

I'm not completely certain Graham, but I don't think ASRAAM has been cleared for the GR.4 yet. Some economy thing I believe.

:viking:

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Hey, call me old fashioned, but why not cut the fins off the kit 'winders and add your own with thin card. If you want to go the whole hog, cut the nose off and replace with some clear sprue and file to shape.

It's called modelling.

W

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I don't know much about weapons but when i want to convert an Italeri IDS to GR4 Tornado, the inside rails where the Hindenberger tanks have Sidewinder's but i think need ASRAAM's from older GR1 to GR4 2000 update ?

could anyone shed light on that ?

As far as I know the Tornado GR4 is still carrying Sidewinders, not ASRAAMs; they often fly with RAID ACMI pods which look similar to ASRAAM missiles.

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Hey, call me old fashioned, but why not cut the fins off the kit 'winders and add your own with thin card. If you want to go the whole hog, cut the nose off and replace with some clear sprue and file to shape.

It's called modelling.

W

And just what exactly is this modelling you speak of...?

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Well, Mental, it's that dying art of creating the parts you need yourself if at all possible. Obviously, it needs a modicum of skill to construct the necessary bits, but the satisfaction effect goes through the roof :thumbsup: and the wallet stays in your pocket.

T3312.jpg

For example, it's instead of saying "Wot, no air brakes?"

W

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I'm not completely certain Graham, but I don't think ASRAAM has been cleared for the GR.4 yet. Some economy thing I believe.

:viking:

No, it hasn't been cleared for the GR.4. The only aircraft that can carry ASRAAM in the RAF are the Typhoon and the Tornado F.3. I've seen photos of mock-ups loaded onto Harrier GR.7s and Tornado GR.4s, but they aren't cleared for service on those types.

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Obviously I need a longer response to Wolfpack.

Sometimes the kit doesn't have any Sidewinders to cut the fins off of.

Sometimes you just don't want to be spending an hour fiddling with tiny bits of plastic card.

Sometimes you just want to clean up and paint a nice neat complete missile that is complete with all the detail missing from every missile ever moulded in plastic.

And some people simply don't have the time, ability or skill to do this sort of thing - so there is an obvious gap in the market.

Having spent yesterday making an AIM-9P from the body of a 9L and some plastic card and an ACMI pod from styrene rod and masking tape, I'd rather not have to ever do that again because frankly it was just a faff and while there is some sense of accomplishment looking at them now, I'd rather have had those two hours free for something else!

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I'd love to see some nice aftermarket styrene Red Tops and Firestreaks. The 1/72 AIM-9Bs in the RoG Hunter F.6 seem to be pretty good, and the Limas in the Hasegawa sets are nice too.

After I got my RoG 1/48 Typhoon (as mentioned, basically a very nice RAF/NATO weapons set with a free Typhoon in the box) I sent an e-mail to Revell inquiring about any possible future release of a dedicated weapons set. The response was something about 'constantly monitoring the market for demand and new opportunities' so fire off an e-mail to them suggesting a nice AAM set. If they see enough demand...who knows..?

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Obviously I need a longer response to Wolfpack.

Sometimes the kit doesn't have any Sidewinders to cut the fins off of.

Sometimes you just don't want to be spending an hour fiddling with tiny bits of plastic card.

Sometimes you just want to clean up and paint a nice neat complete missile that is complete with all the detail missing from every missile ever moulded in plastic.

And some people simply don't have the time, ability or skill to do this sort of thing - so there is an obvious gap in the market.

Having spent yesterday making an AIM-9P from the body of a 9L and some plastic card and an ACMI pod from styrene rod and masking tape, I'd rather not have to ever do that again because frankly it was just a faff and while there is some sense of accomplishment looking at them now, I'd rather have had those two hours free for something else!

I had serious problems locating Israeli Python 4 missiles at one point. So I took the time to find the dimensions of the fins (4*3+2 :wacko: ), drawing them in AutoCAD and making a .pdf file with them for printing. Printed an A4 sheet with a lot of them, had a bugger of a time trying to make them identical, nearly got a missile done, at which point Paragon released their Israeli missiles which I promptly purchased and never looked back.

I still got the .pdf somewhere, if anyone's interested.

:viking:

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